Race Weekend Central

Darrell Wallace Jr. to RPM Full-Time in 2018

2017 pocono cup zach catanzareti darrell wallace jr.

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

On Wednesday (Oct. 25), Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) announced that Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. will replace Aric Almirola as the driver of the No. 43 Ford full-time in 2018. Wallace will be the second confirmed Rookie of the Year candidate, joining Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron.  Current crew chief Drew Blickensderfer will continue as Wallace’s crew …

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Did You Notice?: Tackling The Unpredictability of Talladega And NASCAR Silly Season

2017 Talladega I CUP Ricky Stenhouse Jr pack racing MAtthew T Thacker NKP

(Photo Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

Did You Notice? …. Talladega is truly the Russian Roulette of the NASCAR playoffs? This race has now had a green-white-checkered finish three years running. Last fall, two top title contenders (Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr.) failed to finish in surprising fashion (engine failure). Later in that race, a driver who would soon announce his retirement (Brian Scott) …

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Did You Notice?: 7 NASCAR Storylines Still Worth Watching

2017 Richmond II CUP Kyle Busch Martin Truex Jr Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Did You Notice?… It’s been a difficult, controversial start to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. In the last three weeks, we’ve seen a 25-point penalty by a potential title contender (Chase Elliott). There’s been controversy surrounding the national anthem, forcing NASCAR PR to take a stance. Toyota has been dominating races, leading 299 of …

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Eyes on XFINITY: Money Talks, Teams Continue to Shut Down

2017 Dover I NXS Dakoda Armstrong car Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Another week, another driver out of the XFINITY Series due to a lack of funding. When’s enough, enough? First, it was Darrell Wallace Jr. at Roush Fenway Racing, now Dakoda Armstrong is out of a ride at JGL Racing. Arguably, two of the top 15 names in the series heading into the 2017 season are …

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2017 Frontstretch Podcast Powered by DraftKings – Episode 27: Where Do We Go?

13-21 February, 2016, Daytona Beach, Florida USA Kasey Kahne, Aric Almirola ©2016, Logan Whitton / NKP

(Photo: Logan Whitton /NKP)

Episode 27: Where Do We Go? Frontstretch Podcast with Dustin Albino, Joseph Wolkin and Zach Catanzareti In this week’s episode brought to you by DraftKings, Dustin, Joseph and Zach look at the Silly Season turned hilarious and where we think Danica Patrick, Kasey Kahne and others will end up. Also, we look at the top contenders heading into the Monster Energy …

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NASCAR Mailbox: What’s Next for Danica Patrick & Richard Petty Motorsports?

2017 pocono cup zach catanzareti darrell wallace jr.

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

It’s mid-September, and the NASCAR silly season is really heating up. Teams need to get deals done, sooner rather than later, whether they like it or not. The paperwork needs to be filled out as organizations begin to map out their line-ups for the 2018 season and beyond. However, as crunch time hits, Smithfield Foods …

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5 Points to Ponder: The Future of Richard Petty Motorsports

2017 Richmond I CUP Aric Almirola racing Russell LABounty NKP

(Photo: Russell Labounty/NKP)

ONE: Smithfield’s Shifting Gears Away From Richard Petty Motorsports Tuesday morning (Sept. 12), Smithfield announced it’s leaving Richard Petty Motorsports to join one of the Stewart-Haas Racing Fords. After six years partnering with the No. 43, the strength of SHR’s multi-car organization (which has two of its four cars in the playoffs) became too good to …

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Darrell Wallace Jr. Lands XFINITY Ride for Chicagoland

2017 Michigan CWTS Darrell Wallace Jr trophy Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

After his previous ride with Roush Fenway Racing closed earlier this year due to lack of sponsorship, Darrell Wallace Jr. will be back in the XFINITY Series next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. The 23-year-old Mobile, Ala., native has joined forces with Biagi DenBeste Racing to pilot its No. 98 Ford Mustang with sponsorship from Nickelodeon. Bubba's …

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Did You Notice?: The Fine Line Of NASCAR Drivers’ Personal Lives & Where It All Went Wrong

Jeremy Mayfield Credit LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Credit: LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Did You Notice? … The taboo subject of an athlete’s personal life? The topic came up Sunday night after Cody Ware went off on Twitter following a wreck involving fellow Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series underdog Matt DiBenedetto. The point here isn’t to delve into what was said or whether it was even true. It’s if that …

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Up to Speed: Rumors Fly for Richard Petty Motorsports

In the midst of a silly season that has been particularly silly, a series of reports popped up this week about the future of Richard Petty Motorsports.  The King’s team potentially has a lot on its plate in the next few months.  At the moment, there is no guarantee that Aric Almirola will return to …

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2017 Frontstretch Podcast Powered by DraftKings – Episode 23: Colosseum-Style

21-22 August, 2015, Bristol, Tennessee USA Kyle Busch, Skittles Toyota Camry Denny Hamlin, FedEx Ground Toyota Camry ©2015, Matthew T. Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Episode 23: Colosseum-Style Frontstretch Podcast with Dustin Albino, Mike Neff and Zach Catanzareti In this week’s episode brought to you by DraftKings, Dustin, Mike and Zach discuss the potential resurgence of Kyle Larson, the importance of victory for Darrell Wallace Jr., road ringers in Mid-Ohio and the demise of Brad Keselowski Racing.  We also preview the racing to come this weekend at …

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Tracking the Trucks: Kyle Busch Scores 49th Career Truck Series Win at Bristol

2017 Watkins Glen CUP Kyle Busch helmet Barry Cantrell NKP

(Photo: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

In a Nutshell: Kyle Busch scored his third win this season when he emerged victorious in Wednesday night’s UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The field waited out a rain delay of more than two-hours before taking the green flag. Matt Crafton finished second, followed by John Hunter Nemechek. Grant Enfinger and Ben Rhodes rounded …

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